Now I'm not sure what a "hard use" folding knife is...

[cutitout]

I don't flick any of my knives...

Where's the fun in that? Half the fun of owning knives you don't need is in the flick.

 

[Ankerson]

Where's the fun in that? Half the fun of owning knives you don't need is in the flick.

I cut stuff with mine...

 

[cutitout]

I cut stuff with mine...

That's the other half

 

[shunsui]

I don't think about warranty once I've used it very hard. Have to take responsibility for that. If it doesn't live up to expectations short and long term, then it's just another knife to avoid like many. We know when we are rough on things.
...
Each decade maybe handful of new features that actually enhance use but bunches that only enhance aesthetic and hype...cranking out model after model that performs the same as a 90's Endura if you are lucky.

Great stuff. :thumbup:

 

[nickortizzle1035]

What I care is the lock mechanism the rest is just short talk for "hard use" Folder.

Nice RAO!

 

[dantzk8]

A hard use folder is one that can take the place of a Fixed Blade in certain situations should for some reason a fixed blade can't be carried.

They aren't a permanent replacement for a fixed blade though as over time they will suffer damage and need to be tuned or fixed in some way.

The downsides are they are on the heavy side, bulky and don't cut as well as folders with thinner ground blades, but it's a trade off.

I do agree. It leads me to propose two definitions:

"Hard use folder" is an oxymoron.

An hard use folder is a folder which is hard to use.

dantzk.

 

[Nixelplix]

This knife has been abused for four years or so. Cutting suckers off of trees, cutting roots in dirt, scraping paint off of buildings, etc. Most recently used to strip wire, with some unintentional slips, banging the edge into the frame of the scissor lift. It usually flips open just fine, but might need a little flick at times, depending on how much gunk is around the pivot. Still going strong. If I ever ruin it, I'll buy another, but I don't have to yet! I'll probably lose it before I manage to damage it beyond redemption.

 

[Matador]

I think of "hard use" as more a marketing hype than anything.

 

[red mag]

As mentioned above "Beater" comes to my mind.
I think of rough use like cutting tar paper, or carpet and prying things open.
My choice would be a fixed blade, something of the "sharpened prybar school".
While I like these knives for their "anticipated" indestructability they do not perform so well on delicate tasks.
That's fine. You wouldn't use a scalpel to cut wood?
For me a Sebenza is a fine cutting tool, which is well build (a strong knife), that fullfills my needs and is capable of taking some more, if need be.
Just to make that clear, I woudn't use my SNG for cutting tar paper either, I do have a fixed blade Mora for that.

So is the Sebenza/SNG a hard use knife? Yes it is.
Would I abuse it? Only if not avoidable.

red mag

 

[hardheart]

I don't think there is hard use. There is misuse and cutting. Misuse is prying or turning screws. So an SAK makes a better misuse/hard use knife because it has flat and phillips drivers for that stuff. Heavy and thick knives can do this to some degree, but in a poor fashion due to the triangular cross section, sharp edge, and excessive carbide volume/hardness for such tasks. Cutting is cutting. When your edge can't cut, you resharpen it. That is pretty standard, nothing 'hard' about it, even if it happens quickly. If you try cutting something that doesn't get cut, then you are just wasting time. Knives adapted to try to replicate screwdrivers and prybars don't cut very well, so they do neither with efficiency.

 

[cutitout]

Hardheart,

I think that is a very succinct definition of hard use vs misuse. However, what I was really wondering is this; If (according to CRK) hard use is over flicking or hard flicking a folder (repeatedly and frequently) does the material used in a knife make it susceptible to damage under this hard use definition. I cited that my gigantic, heavy durable Grayman Satu uses the exact same material in the lock bar and blade which collide with each other on opening and closing especially hard as in flicking. Even though there is a size disparity, by scale, they are actually pretty similar. So would my Satu be likely to be damaged as easily as a CRK or some other knife using Ti and Steel against one another? Or because the Satu is so massive and heavy, would it likely not be effected by such hard flicking?

 

[stabman]

So, this is really another CRK flicking thread, and not really about people's perception of hard use?

 

[cutitout]

So, this is really another CRK flicking thread, and not really about people's perception of hard use?

I didn't want to hijack the thread because my question is not regarding a Chris Reeve Knife or the CRK warranty. However their warranty made me wonder how my knives which seemed to me to be very "hard use" knives (Zt and Grayman) would fare using the CRK definition of "hard use." Since they are similar in many ways.

 

[hardheart]

CRK seems to consider flicking as abuse, not hard use. I do not consider it abuse, because you are correct, S30V and Ti are S30V and Ti. A framelock is a framelock. A stop pin is a stop pin. A pivot is a pivot. All will be subject to wear. Warranties and guarantees are about company policy, not material properties. I have flicked dozens of knives, none have worn out or broken. I don't pay more money to be told to do less with the tool. My multitools and SAKs are some of the cheaper items in my collection, and have the most functions. I flick knives with impunity. I have plenty of tools and more than enough fixed blades to tackle tasks.

Use is only hard on the person, not the tools. Hard use is the wrong tool or the wrong technique, which is misuse/abuse to the tool itself. Towing beyond rated capacity and without a transmission cooler isn't hard use, it is abusing your truck. Using a fountain pen as an ice pick isn't hard use, it's the wrong tool for the job being abused. Hammering nails with the butt of a firearm isn't hard use, it's dangerous misuse. Knives are about the only tools we feel the absolute need to do the wrong thing with. Though I pry a lot with large screwdrivers.

 

[stabman]

I have flicked dozens of knives, none have worn out or broken.

I use to flick knives, and induced vertical blade-play in many of them.
The weren't "broken" in that the lock still functioned and the edge still cut, but many people would not have liked the wiggliness of them.

 

[sgt244]

IMO, the sebenza line-up is not intended for "hard-use", the strider line-up is more geared towards that...

THe sebenza line-up are more of a gentlemans folder if you will, something classy that slides into a leather pouch and into your suite inner pocket.

If tried to be used hard, the sebenza would fail miserably....and ive owned 3 including an umnam before....

 

[stabman]

If tried to be used hard, the sebenza would fail miserably....and ive owned 3 including an umnam before....

No it wouldn't, and it doesn't.
And yes, I own Striders as well, so it's not like I haven't seen the archetypal "Hard Use" folders.

 

[nopyo]

My take on hard use is how much force I am comfortable with putting on the blade.
For example, if I am trying to open up a coconut, and I'm given the choice of a Strider and an Opinel, I'd use the Strider. I will be using the knives for what they're designed to do (cutting and maybe puncturing motions), so it's not abuse. However, the I'm more comfortable with putting more force on the Strider, so it's better for the job and therefore "harder use".

Edit: I guess the cutting medium matters too.

 

[PainInMyIrish]

In my opinion, a hard use knife is one you are willing to use to the limit of what it was designed to do. A perfect example of what I consider a hard use knife would be an Enlan EL-01, which can be purchased for around 18-25 dollars. The fit and finish on them suggest a much higher cost knife, but with the price where it is most people would not hesitate to use it for heavy tasks. While your CRKs, Striders, and ZTs are well made of fine materials, are you really willing to risk damaging it or losing it when there are many lower cost options to choose from? Or are you just carrying a high end knife to boast to your buddies that you have one?

 

[stabman]

While your CRKs, Striders, and ZTs are well made of fine materials, are you really willing to risk damaging it or losing it when there are many lower cost options to choose from?

Yes.